Little Mist Sunshine
by LanieSullivan
Summary: A response to the story challenge by fellow writer, Khell, to begin a story with the phrase, "There was mist on the lake..." One-shot. A weekend getaway gets one woman thinking about her life.


Disclaimer: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. The plot is mine, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

AN: Response to the challenge by Khell to write a story starting with "There was mist on the lake."

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There was mist on the lake as she stepped out the front door of the rustic cabin. She inhaled deeply, taking a whiff of the cool October mountain air and was amazed by how different it felt. You certainly didn't get that in the city. _Or maybe it's not just the air that feels different_ , she mused as she thought of her new lover sound asleep in the bed they'd shared last night; the first time they'd done so.

She took a sip from the coffee cup in her hand, smiling in satisfaction at the memories of last night. She'd definitely needed this trip. It had been such a long time since she'd done anything just for herself because her focus for the last few years had been solely on her family and what they needed since Joe had bailed on them. It may seem selfish, but now she felt that she needed to be seen as more than just a doting, devoted mother. Of course, she _was_ that. This weekend trip didn't change that, but she was also a living, breathing, flesh and blood woman with needs of her own. In caring for her loved ones, she'd somehow managed to suppress those needs and had pushed them to the back of her mind...until a certain dashing man had crossed her path.

In watching the fog slowly lifting away from the surface of the lake as the sunrise began to burn it off, she couldn't help thinking of how appropriate it was to see such a sight. It was as if it were symbolic of the fog lifting from her heart as well...and his for that matter. They'd both been so heartbroken in the past that they'd built up walls to keep anyone from getting too close, especially him. _NO,_ she told herself adamantly. That wasn't true. She'd been just as guilty of it as he was; she had simply been better at hiding it from the world than he had.

 _Boy, isn't that the truth?_ She'd often hidden behind a mask of bubbly vivaciousness with a penchant for babbling, but many times what seemed like mindless prattling to others, in her own mind she knew was not. It was a protective shield to keep anyone from getting close enough to see the lingering pain behind it; a pain that she still carried with her even now when her husband was no longer an active part of her life and hadn't been for several years now. More than the yammering, she was always throwing herself into caring for everyone around her and not just her family, but also her neighbors, getting involved in community projects, the PTA, the scout troops, anything and everything that she could to stave off the loneliness that she felt. But she was done hiding. She'd finally told the truth to her family about everything and had even told them that she was planning to come up here this weekend... _with him_.

She let out a soft chuckle as she thought of the reaction of her family members, of Phillip and Jamie's exuberance that her relationship was moving forward and her... She frowned slightly at the reaction of the other female resident of her home. _She'd_ been a bit disapproving and she honestly couldn't understand why. Hadn't she been such an attentive mother all these years? She honestly felt that she had earned this time away, however, SHE didn't think so. What _did_ she think? Did she think that she'd be nothing _except_ that attentive mother forever? After all, wasn't she still young enough to have a life of her own that didn't revolve around the children?

 _I certainly am_ , she nodded firmly. She'd seen the women in her neighborhood, in the PTA, the other den mothers, and in her community events who were divorced or widowed and how heavily the loneliness weighed on them to the point that they were becoming catty and bitter with nothing better to do, except gossip all day, gaining their happiness by making others _un_ happy. She'd be damned if she'd let herself travel down that road and become one of them, not if she could do something about it. Life was far too short.

She took another sip of her coffee as she thought again about the man who'd brought her to the cabin this weekend and replayed the events of the night before in her mind. She had relished every moment, every kiss, every touch, every softly spoken word, every sigh, every...everything. It had been so long since she'd been touched that way and he had made her feel like a young girl again, vibrant and full of life. _And why shouldn't I feel that way once in a while? Haven't I earned it?_

Her thoughts were abruptly halted as she felt a pair of arms encircling her waist with a husky, "Good morning," whispered in her ear.

She started for just a moment, but his low voice had still sent a shiver of excitement up her spine. She'd been so lost in her own thoughts, she'd never even heard the door open behind her. She turned in his arms and slapped playfully at his chest, "Don't do that! You scared me half to death." She reached for his hand and placed it over her heart. "You feel that...how my heart's racing now? All your fault."

He laughed at the consternation showing on her face. He grinned a dimpled grin at her and replied, "Hmm...it seems you weren't complaining about anything I did last night to get your heart racing."

She smiled warmly at him and replied, "Well, no, but that's beside the point." She wagged a scolding finger at him.

"Come on," he nodded to the door. "Why don't we go back inside and see if I can't keep your heart racing, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know," she teased. "I'm not sure you deserve another go-round after scaring me out of my wits."

He pulled her closer and lightly nuzzled her neck. "Well, I'll just have to convince you, won't I?"

She sighed at the contact and knew that it wouldn't take much convincing. "All right, Hunter, you win," Dotty replied as she took his hand and the pair made their way back inside.


End file.
